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Short Breaks Direct Payments, Personal Budgets and Personal Assistants

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Direct Payments

A direct payment is money from your local authority to allow you to source the care your child needs instead of having services organised by us.

Some of the ways direct payments can be used include:
  • employing a personal assistant
  • employing an agency to care for your child in your own home
  • an activity club session
  • booking short breaks

This list is not exhaustive. Direct payments can be used flexibly providing they are used to meet the assessed need and agreed outcomes for your child.

This may be daunting for some families; however, support is available relating to managing accounts, payroll and recruitment. 

Information To Consider Before Applying For An Assessment For A Direct Payment
Your Responsibilities

You must:
  • Be willing to receive direct payments and only spend the money on services to meet the agreed assessed needs
  • Keep records of how the money is spent and agree for these to be checked by the Council
  • Follow good employer practice (if you choose to employ your own carer)

If you Employ Personal Assistants

If you choose a Direct Payment to meet your families assessed short break needs, and have a personal assistant through this, you will also become responsible for the following:

  • You will need to identify a PA.
  • You will become an employer if you choose to use a PA.
  • You will need to ensure the PA has a current police check (DBS check) and this is renewed as needed.
  • You will need to set up a contract with your PA.
  • You will have to arrange and purchase public liability insurance.
  • You will be responsible for paying your PA the agreed rate of pay, in line with employment legislation.
  • You will be responsible for tax, National Insurance, sick/holiday pay and pension for your employee.
  • You will need to read, understand and sign an agreement as the direct payment will not be released without this.
  • You will be responsible for dealing with any issues concerning your PA.
The above can sound daunting, but don’t worry, we can support you in the process, so you feel confident in managing arrangements moving forward.

Personal Assistant support

Here in Barnsley, when a short break assessment supports the need for personal assistant support, we base our hourly rates of pay on a continuum of need. We have worked with local PA agencies to develop this continuum of need, and it will be reviewed and updated annually.

If you choose to employ a personal assistant outside of the assessed level of need identified in the short break assessment, you will be responsible for the top up of the financial payments unless otherwise agreed with Barnsley Council.


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